Greg Cheyne pushes Dynastic Power out to beat Power King in a great finish
Phillipi trainer Stan Elley took a giant step into the Vodacom Durban July limelight, when saddling first and third in a thrilling climax to the R350 000 Gr2 Betting World 1900 run at Greyville on Friday evening. Elley led the charge of dominance of the Cape raiders with Dynasty 4yo Dynastic Power leading the next four Capetonians home.
The Betting World 1900 is a race with plenty of tradition and dates back to 1926 – albeit run under varying names over the decades.
Stan Elley – happy Friday at the office!
And Elley, who just a fortnight ago saddled the third placed My World in the East Cape Derby, could not have imagined that the July ‘qualifier’ would turn out as well as it did for him and his owners
Dynastic Power had dethroned Cape Winter Triple Crown pretender Power King when beating him in the Winter Derby at the end of last season and there was plenty of delightful déjà vu for the winning connections here as the versatile son of Dynasty won a cracker in the hands of Greg Cheyne.
There is no doubt that Power King (carrying 4kgs more than his conqueror this time) was his own worst enemy and after being slow away, cost himself lengths with a bizarre outward drift in the final stages.
The always professional Cheyne had anticipated the lack of genuine pace in the race and he had Dynastic Power within touch as Mountain Master made the running. Cheyne made his move as Dynastic Power motored up the outside on the turn to hit the front early in the straight.
Greg Cheyne – intelligent ride from a thinking jockey
Despite holding his head awkwardly for a few strides, the 66-1 outsider galloped relentlessly and held on convincingly to win by a neck from a low-flying Power King in a time of 116,81 secs.
The Elley swinger paid R155-70 for a R1 outlay on the tote, with the winner the Sporting Post’s best handicapped runner on our ratings.
The Dean Kannemeyer-trained Power King, who was on the periphery of the July top 20 when the first log was published, would have done his prospects of qualifying no harm at all.
After a tardy start, he appeared to be under a niggling ride from MJ Byleveld at the rear of the field for most of the race and made up a lot of ground in the straight. Under a driving left-handed ride, he still somehow managed to hang out badly and cost himself many lengths – and probably victory.
He pulled up distressed.
Stan Elley’s Silvano gelding Punta Arenas – may have earned a third tilt at July
The winner’s stablemate Punta Arenas came from alongside Power King at the rear into the home run and ran a cracker to stay on smartly for third. In the process, he probably booked himself a third tilt at the July. Both second and third placed runners were sired by Silvano.
The Justin Snaith-trained Dynamic was prominent for some way and despite coming close to being brought down by Power King in the closing stages, hung on for fourth, 2,15 lengths back.
There were a host of disappointments and shattered July dreams.
These included the 3yo Jayyed, who made a respiratory noise in running. He ran ninth and 3,90 lengths back.
Topweight Helderberg Blue ran thirteenth and 6,40 lengths off, while the fancied Bold Inspiration ran fourteenth and 6,50 lengths behind.
The 2013 winner Jet Explorer ran second last, while the Brett Crawford-trained De Kock ran a distant last. He was examined after the race and nothing untoward was noted.
A versatile galloper, Dynastic Power has won 4 races from 1200m to 2400m with 8 places from 15 starts. He took his stakes earnings to R582 050.
Dynastic Power was bred by Highlands and is by Dynasty out the one-time winning Royal Prerogative mare, Crimson Lily.
She is a prolific producer of winners, including Elley’s top-class former charge Red Badge (Badger Land). The latter ran third twice in the Vodacom Durban July. That was in 2003, behind Dynasty and in 2004 behind Grey’s Inn
The improving Dynastic Power was purchased for R500 000 on the Cape Premier Yearling Sale Book 1. Elley is on record as saying that he felt that the yearling was the best that the dam had produced after Red Badge and he was determined to get him.
“It took some creative thought and effort to put him together,” he recalled.
Jockey Greg Cheyne rode an intelligent race and fully justified the deviation from his regular PE Friday timetable. His previous 1900 victory came in the form of Stride Ahead – incidentally his first ever ride for Mike De Kock- in 1996, when he beat Teal.
“Some people questioned why I sacrificed my Fairview rides for a 50-1 shot. But Group races are what we are really after and I am not chasing the SA jockey title, so individual minor winners are not my priority when decent feature rides are available. I knew there was no genuine speed in the race so decided to ride a forward race. When we came up the hill at the 800m I knew that with his stamina he would pick it up when he was asked for an effort,” he said.
Trainer Stan Elley was all smiles and said that he was pleased that Dynastic Power was back to his better form after a ‘not great summer’ in the Cape,
“We never really got to the bottom of why he was not at his best, but this is better – I never dreamt we’d kick off like this. Punta Arenas also put in a terrific effort from way back and only tired late. He has earned another crack at the July,” he said with a broad smile.
Part owner John Kinsley was on track to receive his first ever Gr2 trophy. He owns Dynastic Power in partnership with Stan Elley, Okkie Schoeman, Braam Van Huyssteen and Butch Watson-Smith.
In a world dominated by the top five powerhouse yards, Elley’s victory will be remembered as a Champions Season confidence booster for the small player.
And that can only be good for racing.
_________
Gr2 Betting World 1900 (SAf-Gr2)
Greyville, South Africa, May 15, R350k, 1900m, turf, good, 1.56.81
1 – DYNASTIC POWER (SAF), 54.0, b g 4, Dynasty (SAF) – Crimson Lily (SAF) by Royal Prerogative (GB). Owner Messrs S Elley, J H Kinsley, O Schoeman, A J van Huyssteen & D Watson-Smith; Breeder Highlands; trainer S Elley; jockey G Cheyne
2 – Power King (SAF), 58.0, b g 4, Silvano (GER) – Northern Gale (SAF) by Northern Guest (USA)
3 – Punta Arenas (SAF), 58.0, b g 6, Silvano (GER) – Peru (SNL) by Candy Stripes (USA)
Margins: 0.15, 1.25, 0.75
